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Failed the Stress Test

I had the stress test today that my cardiologist ordered to check out the PVCs I'm having all the time. He said that 2 minutes into it he spotted something. He didn't elaborate on what that "something" was, but I'm now scheduled for a myoview stress test with nuclear imaging the first week of October. Anyone else been through this and know what he might be looking for? He did mention checking to see if there are any possible blockages.

I have had a lot of problems with my blood pressure in the past 20 years. One time it's way high. Next time it's running pretty low. Today, before the stress test, it was elevated. Just last week at an appointment it was 107/68. It's been doing so well for the past year that I'm only on hydrochlorothyazide right now for the fluid I'm retaining.

Back in the stone age when I was a cardiac nurse nuclear imaging meant that they wanted to see if there were areas of "ischemia" (decreased blood flow, presumably due to a coronary artery blockage). They have you exercise while hooked up to all the monitors, and then inject radio active isotopes into an IV in your arm. About an hour later, they take an x-ray and if you have had ischemia, the isotopes will collect in the area that had decreased blood flow. "Myoview" is a new word for me.

IMHO you have two options: call the doctor and ask for more information and a copy of your office visit and stress test OR try to distract yourself, eat right, follow your doctors guidelines for exercise, and do some relaxation exercises while you wait for the test. Lupus does increase the risk of coronary artery disease pretty significantly, so make sure you are doing everything you can to keep your lupus quiet. Take care and please let us know what happens next.

I had the stress test today that my cardiologist ordered to check out the PVCs I'm having all the time. He said that 2 minutes into it he spotted something. He didn't elaborate on what that "something" was, but I'm now scheduled for a myoview stress test with nuclear imaging the first week of October. Anyone else been through this and know what he might be looking for? He did mention checking to see if there are any possible blockages.

I have had a lot of problems with my blood pressure in the past 20 years. One time it's way high. Next time it's running pretty low. Today, before the stress test, it was elevated. Just last week at an appointment it was 107/68. It's been doing so well for the past year that I'm only on hydrochlorothyazide right now for the fluid I'm retaining.

Any insight into what he could be looking for would be appreciated.

I have had one, for the same reason Gizmo stated and it is not a big deal. Actually the have found that the this kind of stress tests are actually more accurate on women then the classic stress test. I know it is scary but it is better to know and have something done about it then it is worry and wonder.

Will keep my fingers crossed

MariSuccess is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.

Hi Geo. Just checking in to see how your testing came out. Hope you have some answers and therefore can get on the right treatment plan.

Awww...thanks, Gizmo! Actually, I'm still waiting. I go see the cardiologist next Wednesday morning. All I know is that when I did the nuclear stress test he said I am consistent. Whatever he saw 2 minutes into the 1st stress test, I repeated on this one at the same time frame. I will try to remember to let you all know Wednesday when I find out. Thanks again for asking!

Awww...thanks, Gizmo! Actually, I'm still waiting. I go see the cardiologist next Wednesday morning. All I know is that when I did the nuclear stress test he said I am consistent. Whatever he saw 2 minutes into the 1st stress test, I repeated on this one at the same time frame. I will try to remember to let you all know Wednesday when I find out. Thanks again for asking!

Please keep us posted!!!!

MariSuccess is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.

I saw the cardiologist today and he said that what he was seeing was the false positive that is common in women. No blockages or structural problems with my heart. We're trying out a beta-blocker to see if that helps to decrease the PVCs.

Well, that sounds like really good news, Geo! Do you feel confident that he is right? I have taken Metoprolol for about 15 years and it does help with the PVCs. The down side is that it also makes exercise harder because it keeps your heart rate down so your heart can't reach it's target heart rate. It also makes me more fatigued - I was recently able to cut my dose in half and still keep things under control and I do have more energy now.

Yeah, I feel pretty confident with the diagnosis. Hopefully the beta blocker helps out some and reduces them. I didn't know that about the heart rate slowing down, so that will be interesting.

What I like about this doctor is that he's perfectly willing to try something and, if it doesn't work, try something else. He also advised me to cut out caffeine and eat a diet higher in fruits and vegetables to get the potassium that I need. I need to find a good website with a list of high potassium foods and make a shopping list for next week.